The present invention generally relates to novelty devices designed for attachment to a supporting element and, more particularly, to a novelty device that is designed to be attached to a vehicle antenna or the like and to produce a hologram type effect while rotating due to airflow that is caused, for example, by motion of motor vehicle.
Various novelty or visual indicating devices are known. As one example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,380,325, which issued on May 31, 1921, discloses a toy wind-wheel. This patent generally discloses certain improvements in toy wind-wheels, and states that its principal object is to provide wind-wheels which will be oppositely rotated through the action of the wind upon the blades thereof.
As another example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,798,052, which issued on Mar. 24, 1931, discloses a warning signal. This patent generally discloses a warning signal that is particularly adapted to be carried by wagons and the like, and states that one of its primary objects is to provide a warning signal of such class by means of which the light rays from an approaching automobile are reflected to instantly warn the operator of the automobile of the proximity of the wagon or the like. One advantage of this is the reduction of the likelihood of a collision.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,899,788, which issued on Feb. 28, 1933, is entitled animated wind toy. This patent discloses an animated wind toy in which a wind wheel is mounted on an end of a rotary shaft. A mechanism is mounted at the opposite end for supporting a panel with its faces extending in a plane substantially coinciding with the axis of the shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,693,044, which issued on Nov. 2, 1954, is entitled wind-driven highway marker. This patent generally relates to a rotatable highway marker actuated by prevailing air currents.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,810,223, which issued on Oct. 22, 1957, is entitled animated signs. This patent generally relates to a mechanical sign which is animated through rotation about a generally vertical axis and which includes a supporting frame structure for simple and easy mounting at an intended point of use.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,073,047, which issued on Jan. 15, 1963, is entitled animated sign. This patent generally relates to a display sign structure rotatable about a generally vertical axis by currents of air.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,221,440, which issued on Dec. 7, 1965, is entitled wind operated toy. This patent generally relates to a wind-operated toy simulating an insect or the like. The toy is rotatably mounted on a shaft attached to an elongated handle. Two bearings are provided to reduce friction, improve rotation of the toy around the shaft, and retain the toy on the shaft.
U.S. Pat. 3,359,670, which issued on Dec. 26, 1967, is entitled advertising device. This patent generally relates to an advertising device of the wind spinner type adapted to be mounted on a vehicle antenna and constructed of a single sheet of resilient material such as sheet plastic.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,636,912, which issued on Jan. 25, 1972, is entitled device for attachment to an elongated support extending from a vehicle. This patent generally relates to a device which is used for indicating the location of the vehicle and for serving as an advertising medium. This device includes a rigid portion visible form all directions and a variety of types of elements for gripping the external surface of the support to secure the device thereto.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,757,730, which issued on Sep. 11, 1973, is entitled wind actuated device. This patent generally relates to a device having a critical stationary wind shield which serves in combination with other features of the device to promote desired wind actuated rotation of a rotatable part.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,758,190, which issued on Sep. 11, 1973, is entitled jumping reflex-reflection. This patent discloses certain eye-catching attention getting devices. These devices have at least one primary rotatable part, an axis means for establishing a predetermined axis of rotation of the primary rotatable part, an holding means for the axis means to permit the rotation, especially a wind-actuated rotation.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,653, which issued on Oct. 5, 1976, is entitled rotary disseminator. This patent discloses a rotary disseminator that is responsive to even minute vertical air currents. The disseminator is a perfectly balanced vane rotor supported for rotation about a vertical axis by a filamental shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,041,452, which issued on Aug. 9, 1977, is entitled a rotating beacon for a bicycle. This patent generally relates to a visually detectable device particularly suited for use by cyclists in attracting the attention of others, particularly motorists. The device is characterized by a flexible staff adapted to be mounted on a bicycle, a transparent housing rotatably mounted on the staff, and a lamp and reflector mounted in the housing for directing there from a sweeping beam from the housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,103,924, which issued on Aug. 1, 1978, is entitled vehicle safety device. The patent generally relates to a device for use with a bicycle adapted to be mounted adjacent the rear end thereof. The device includes an upstanding flexible mounting shaft, preferably made of a polymeric material, detachably connected at one end to the vehicle and at he other end adapted to mount a signal device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,525, which issued on Dec. 7, 1993, is entitled reflector device. The patent generally relates to a device for attracting the attention of an observer having a first and second pairs of arms mounted on a body at different elevations and at right angles to each other with air scoops and light reflectors on each of the arms so that the motion of air relative to the device will produce flashes of light alternatively in the planes of the first and second pairs of arms.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,323,728, which issued on Jun. 28, 1994, is entitled warning sign. The patent generally discloses a triangular warning sign mounted in a rotatable manner via a shaft in a foot, in that two side edges on the sign facing away from the foot are bent to provide flanges. These flanges face in mutually opposing directions, whereby the sign when used outdoors can be influenced by the wind and rotate. The sign thus becomes visible from all sides.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,363,792, which issued on Nov. 15, 1994, is entitled safety signal light. The patent generally discloses a safety signal kit that includes a hub and a plurality of vanes selectively mounted on the hub. The hub is selectively mounted on a firs tend of a shaft. A second end of the shaft is selectively secured to a base. The base can be an elongated body having a socket located adjacent a first end thereof and a recess located adjacent a second end thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 362,199, which issued on Sep. 12, 1995, is entitled water skier safety flag. This patent discloses an ornamental design for a skier safety flag.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,195,923, which issued on Mar. 6, 2001, is entitled display method and structure. This patent generally discloses a display structure or a unique book including a plurality of laterally extending page supports each adapted to carry at least a pair of pages in a side-by-side relationship. This display structure includes a rotatably supporting provided for each of the page supports so that when one of the support pallets is rotated, the other of the pair is rotated in tandem therewith.
Numerous patents are discussed in the preceding paragraphs of this application. All of such patents are incorporated by reference into this application as if fully set forth herein. All of the devices disclosed in such patents appear to be satisfactory for their intended purposes. However, improvements are desired.